Gabby out in the open

So whatever happened to Gabby Concepcion?

That intriguing question has been hovering over showbiz-watchers these past nine years when Gabby went into seclusion (self-imposed "exile"?) in the US after the infamous Filmfest Scam in 1994 and his headline-making separation from wife Jenny Syquia in 1995, completely cutting his ties with an industry that has been both kind (the blessings, the awards, fame and fortune, etc.) and cruel (the intrigues, etc.) to him.

Since then, Gabby has proven to be so elusive, avoiding any contact with the (Philippine-based) media – until last August when YES! magazine editor-in-chief Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon pinned him down for an "exclusive" in Stockton, California, where he and his brand-new wife, Genevieve Yatco Gonzales, are leading a quiet life.

Jo-Ann related that it took dozens of phone calls and continuous follow-ups before Gabby showed up at the Macaroni Grill in Pleasanton, in the San Francisco Bay Area, 30-minute drive away from Stockton. Gabby came in a silver S520 Mercedes Benz, wearing, to quote Jo-Ann, "a neatly pressed, solid-blue long-sleeved shirt tucked flat into dark pants, its waistline marked by a silk belt...his hair slicked back, just right for the slightly thinning head of hair..."

At 41 (on Nov. 5), according to Jo-Ann, the 5’9"/160 lbs. matinee idol (who matured into a versatile actor) has retained his "movie-star profile."

The YES! exclusive is Gabby’s first print interview in nine years. His first radio interview was in 1997 with Mar d’Guzman Cruz for his Showbiz Power with Kuya Mar program on DZXL. Kuya Mar very kindly hooked up with me and all I did was listen and record the interview which I later published in Conversations (Oct. 19, 1997).

In that interview, Gabby said that among the things he missed were his resort, called El Pinoy, in Batangas and his children (KC, with ex-wife Sharon Cuneta, now in school in Paris; Gabrielle, with Grace Ibuna; Chloe, with ex-wife Jenny Syquia who is now married to a Swede).

Besides (and before) Sharon and Jenny, Gabby reportedly married one Jenny Martin, so Genevieve is the fourth woman he married.

Understandably, during his interview with Jo-Ann, Gabby begged off from talking about his private life, saying, "Remember, marriage is a union of one – of two becoming one. My decisions are no longer my own, so I have to respect that."

A Funfare California DPA said that Genevieve is a St. Paul’s College graduate, "only slightly older than KC." Jo-Ann quoted Gabby’s former manager and Nanay-Nanayan Lolit Solis as saying, "She used to be a big fan of Gabby."

Did he, according to reports, work as a security guard?

No, Gabby told Jo-Ann, he never worked as a security guard. He’s actually a licensed realtor who can discuss real estate prices as expertly as he can play any kind of role, even kontrabida ones.

"When I first started (in Prudential California Realty), people were saying that I’m already in the insurance business. Little did they know that Prudential has a real estate division. Insurance is not a bad thing, you know? It’s just that I was never in Prudential insurance."

How come he was mistaken for a security guard?

"I like wearing blue," said Gabby. "Prudential’s colors are blue and white. See? E sa Pilipinas, ang security guard (naka-)blue, di ba?"

Now, would Gabby come back to resume his rudely-interrupted acting career? What’s his life really like in America? Is he in touch with his ex-wives and his children?

For answers to these and other questions, run to the nearest newsstand and get a copy of the October issue of YES! magazine.

Osang welcome at GMA anytime

It has been more than seven months since Rosanna "Osang" Roces quit in a huff as Startalk co-host (of Lolit Solis and Butch Francisco) over an issue involving a tsismis about her daughter. A lot of heated words have been exchanged since then among Osang and other people who got entangled in the mess, including Dr. Vicki Belo and Lolit Solis (who dropped Osang as talent/alaga).

The issue has simmered down even if court suits swapped between the protagonists are pending in court.

Question: Will Osang go back to GMA?

"If she wants to," said Wilma Galvante, GMA’s vice president for entertainment, "she can come back anytime. She is most welcome. She has a standing contract which will expire in March next year yet."

When Wilma came back from abroad last June, she spent one whole afternoon with Osang, but Wilma didn’t divulge what they talked about. It’s obvious that as far as Wilma is concerned, there’s no bad blood between her and Osang.

So, there.

Osang, kung saan ka man naroroon, umuwi ka na!

"Kapuso pa rin namin siya," said Wilma.

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